Tuesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 12/5/2017

Florida's occupational licensing system seen as drag on economy

Occupational licensing practices in Florida rank among the most stringent in the nation, creating barriers to employment and raising consumer costs, according to a study released last month. Many observers fault the Florida system for being a drag in economic expansion and job growth. More from Florida Watchdog.

Sprint has turned hurricane debris into a smartphone accessory crafted from South Florida trees uprooted by Hurricane Irma to help storm victims. The circular wooden disks, known as pop sockets, went on sale Tuesday for $5 to support the nonprofit The Miami Foundation hurricane relief fund. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

South Florida real estate boom not dampened by sea level rise

For coastal communities from Florida to Texas, this year's hurricane season may be a preview of what's to come. But in South Florida, the dire predictions have done little to dampen enthusiasm for development. More from NPR.

The environment for the 2018 midterm elections has grown even more favorable toward Democrats the last Florida congressional vulnerability rankings. But the specific electoral landscape in Florida has shifted only modestly in that time. More from Tampa Bay Times.

Swiss airline's return to Orlando projected to have $35 million annual impact

Edelweiss Air, based in Zurich, Switzerland, returns to Orlando International Airport in 2018 for weekly flights. The small, vacation-oriented airlines is part of the Lufthansa Group. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Florida Trend Exclusive Industrious

Miami-Dade has more than 157.2 million square feet of industrial real estate — warehouses, distribution space, manufacturing and what’s known as “flex” or “office service” space, which is mostly buildings that include showrooms or warehouses with some offices.

At eMerge Americas in June, Laura González-Estéfani and business partner Clara Bullrich announced plans to start a venture-building company, called TheVentureCity, headquartered in Miami and Madrid, with an office in Silicon Valley, that would bring together a team from hyper-growth companies such as Facebook, Google and eBay.